She was a young thirty-six year old woman, living in a small one bedroom apartment and working two jobs. Not only was she struggling with staying alive, but she was also six months pregnant. Before her pregnancy, Martha was an out-going woman. She would go out on Saturday nights with her single friends and wake up Sunday with an unknown/nameless man, every weekend. Martha had the good life, working one job, going to school, hanging out with friends, until she got pregnant. Martha then realized that she needed to tell someone, someone she could trust that would keep her information private. That someone would be her Nanna Jo, the smartest, friendliest, loving and accepting grandmother anyone could ever want to have. So Martha picked up the phone and confessed all her troubles she had.
There was an awkward moment of silence, and then she heard her say “Well my dear, you’ve got your panties all in a knot,” She paused again, took a deep breath then said “Do you know who the father is?”
“No”, Martha pitifully replied. “See it all happened…”
Nanna quickly interrupted her. “Dearly, take it from me. Weather or not you know who the father is; you’ve got to do something about it. You have to make the decision whether or not you want to keep the child. This is going to be a big step for you, but I think that it will teach you an important lesson. You’re not going to be able to support your child on one paycheck, so you may have to make some sacrifices. If it means dropping out of school and picking up another job or something, you’ve got to do what you have to do. Just know that no matter what I’m here for you, and I love you.”
Those were the only few words that Martha needed to hear, that somebody out there cared and loved her.
“Okay my love, it’s about time for the bingo match, call me if you need anything, love ya”. Nanna Jo hung up the phone quickly, knowing that she had a few minutes to get downstairs to join the other seniors in the game room.
As soon as Martha hung up the phone, she began to feel a sharp pain in her stomach. She began to breathe deeply, as she did so the pain began to stop, than it started up again, but it was worse this time. Martha picked up the phone and called 911. She woke up lying on an hospital bed.
“I’m sorry miss, but we had to deliver your babies,” replied the doctor dressed in green scrubs from head to toe.
“Wait, what? Did you say babies?” Martha questioned.
“Yes ma’am, babies. You had twins, a girl and a boy; unfortunately both babies are premature and sick. As you may know, the babies are only six months old, which is rare to have them born so early in your stage of pregnancy. They’re going to have to stay in the hospital for a while, we need to keep an eye on them,” answered the doctor.
Martha looked up at the doctor with her glassy eyes, and began to cry saying “Why me? Why did I act so rebellious and foolish? How could I be so dumb to embarrass myself, and my family, especially Nanna Jo? She must hate me.”
There was an awkward moment of silence, and then she heard her say “Well my dear, you’ve got your panties all in a knot,” She paused again, took a deep breath then said “Do you know who the father is?”
“No”, Martha pitifully replied. “See it all happened…”
Nanna quickly interrupted her. “Dearly, take it from me. Weather or not you know who the father is; you’ve got to do something about it. You have to make the decision whether or not you want to keep the child. This is going to be a big step for you, but I think that it will teach you an important lesson. You’re not going to be able to support your child on one paycheck, so you may have to make some sacrifices. If it means dropping out of school and picking up another job or something, you’ve got to do what you have to do. Just know that no matter what I’m here for you, and I love you.”
Those were the only few words that Martha needed to hear, that somebody out there cared and loved her.
“Okay my love, it’s about time for the bingo match, call me if you need anything, love ya”. Nanna Jo hung up the phone quickly, knowing that she had a few minutes to get downstairs to join the other seniors in the game room.
As soon as Martha hung up the phone, she began to feel a sharp pain in her stomach. She began to breathe deeply, as she did so the pain began to stop, than it started up again, but it was worse this time. Martha picked up the phone and called 911. She woke up lying on an hospital bed.
“I’m sorry miss, but we had to deliver your babies,” replied the doctor dressed in green scrubs from head to toe.
“Wait, what? Did you say babies?” Martha questioned.
“Yes ma’am, babies. You had twins, a girl and a boy; unfortunately both babies are premature and sick. As you may know, the babies are only six months old, which is rare to have them born so early in your stage of pregnancy. They’re going to have to stay in the hospital for a while, we need to keep an eye on them,” answered the doctor.
Martha looked up at the doctor with her glassy eyes, and began to cry saying “Why me? Why did I act so rebellious and foolish? How could I be so dumb to embarrass myself, and my family, especially Nanna Jo? She must hate me.”